’Canes, Pats fall in D-III semifinals

By Jacob Marrocco
Posted 3/1/16

Despite a combined 34 points and 25 rebounds from Jake Gonsalves and Jacob Isaac, the Warwick Vets boys’ basketball team fell 53-51 to Burrillville in the Division III semifinals at East Providence …

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’Canes, Pats fall in D-III semifinals

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Despite a combined 34 points and 25 rebounds from Jake Gonsalves and Jacob Isaac, the Warwick Vets boys’ basketball team fell 53-51 to Burrillville in the Division III semifinals at East Providence High School on Friday night.

The ’Canes had a chance to tie the score and send it to overtime with 1.1 seconds left when Isaac was fouled going up to the basket. Isaac missed the first free throw, and then intentionally missed the second. The rebound came down and two Vets’ tip-ins rattled out as the buzzer sounded.

Junior guard Gonsalves finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while senior forward Isaac had 16 points, 14 boards and two blocks. Junior guard Nate Ferri also chipped in with six points, five rebounds and three steals.

“I was wicked proud of them,” Vets head coach Chris LeBlanc said. “We had no right to be here. We won six games all year, we were a very erratic team. We start two sophomores and two juniors. We have one senior on the team and we’re just so inconsistent. But this team, like any, every Vets team I have we play with unbelievable heart.”

The ’Canes were given new life in the playoffs after Paul Cuffee, the team that beat them 76-60 in the preliminary round, was disqualified for a rules violation. Vets went on to beat top-seeded Johnston on Wednesday in the quarterfinals, 72-69, to earn a berth in the semifinals.

 

 

Vets’ cross-town rival, Pilgrim, also lost a heartbreaker in the D-III semifinals.

The Pats lost 51-48 to eventual D-III champion Chariho on Friday night at East Providence, ending their bid for a repeat.

“I’m extremely proud of my guys,” Pilgrim head coach Mike Batalon said. “I think that we’re as good as anybody in Division III. They gave 100 percent effort 100 percent of the time. I’m nothing but proud of my boys.”

Sophomore forward Tyrone Weeks posted 13 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks before fouling out with 1:32 to go, allowing Chariho to take advantage inside.

With Pilgrim trailing 48-46 in the final seconds, senior guard Brandon Lawton notched the last of his 10 second-half points to knot the score.

Chariho had the ball with 16 seconds left and the designed play worked to perfection. Nathan Morin, who led all scorers with 21, made a backdoor cut for a layup with 2.1 seconds left to put the Chargers ahead 50-48 in front of their raucous crowd.

Following a Pilgrim timeout, sophomore guard Matt Woods tried a long inbounds pass to Lawton past half court, but the ball was just out of reach and sailed out of bounds.

Morin was fouled on the ensuing play and went to the line, making one free throw to extend the lead out to 51-48. Woods inbounded to senior guard Ethan Schneider just past half court, but Schneider’s desperation 3-pointer as time expired hit the backboard and bounced out.

Chariho would go on to win the D-III title after another close finish, trailing Burrillville 59-58 with one second left. Jacob Beauregard, inbounding from half court, sent an alley oop pass under the hoop to Tom Longolucco, who put it up and in as the buzzer sounded.

Pilgrim’s season isn’t over yet, though, as it will qualify for the state open tournament. As of press time, the Pats were the No. 12 seed and slated to face Division II champion and No. 5 seed Narragansett.

“We’re going to lick our wounds this weekend and then find out who we’re playing and just give our best effort in the open tournament,” Batalon said.

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